Why we deserted Lagos roads – LASTMA

The inability to ensure the safety of the officials of the Lagos State Transport Management Agency is the reason the officers are on their duty posts, the agency has said.

Olajide Oduyoye, the LASTMA General Manager, told PREMIUM TIMES on Wednesday that “officers do not feel safe on the road.”

“Our officers are already out on the road but not in full capacity, this is for safety reasons because the police are not on the road for obvious reasons,” he said.

“About 70 per cent of our men are out, the remaining 30 per cent are females and for safety reasons, they cannot be out,” he said.

In the aftermath of the violence that trailed the #EndSARS protests last week, LASTMA officials, as well as police officers, have been visibly absent on Lagos roads.

The resultant traffic gridlock on major road junctions across the state has made life difficult for commuters.

LASTMA Attack

LASTMA officers were one of those attacked during the violence that broke out in the state. The popular LASTMA office at Iyana Oworo area of the state was burnt by hoodlums and all the vehicles, including LASTMA vehicles within the premises set ablaze.

Many LASTMA posts across the state were also vandalized by the hoodlums.

Mr Oduyoye said following the recent attacks on security agents in the state, it is difficult to have many officers, especially women on the road when the police that will protect them are absent.

He said while it seems that normality has returned to the state, the situation is likely to spark some violence.

“When you don’t have the safety support, then it makes it a little bit funny. So for now, we have asked the females not to go. Let us just wait and see how things will go.

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The LASTMA boss said once the issue of safety of LASTMA personnel is resolved, all officers would be back on the road.

The Police

Following the attacks on police officers in Lagos state, many have retreated and are demotivated to be out on the road, PREMIUM TIMES learnt.

The Lagos Police Command suffered losses when the #EndSARS protest was hijacked by hoodlums in the state who unleashed mayhem on the police and other security outfits in the state.

The police which was the most hit in the violence lost six officers, while many officers were injured.

16 police stations were burnt in Lagos, while 13 others were vandalized and police properties looted by the hoodlums.

Lagos police officers, who seem to be aggrieved by the incident have deserted Lagos roads.

The Lagos Police spokesperson, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, did not immediately respond to requests on why police officers have deserted the state.